BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Research Center
77R2410 MTB-D
S.B. 614
By: Van de Putte
State Affairs
2/26/2001
As Filed
DIGEST AND PURPOSE
When cancer strikes, it places many increased expenses on the patient and his or her family,
including transportation to and from doctor’s offices; co-payments and provider charges; overthe-counter medications and related supplies; special non-prescription dietary foods and drinks;
and various supplies. Currently, there are a number of Texas nonprofit organizations trying to
help patients with these needs. As proposed, S.B. 614 creates a “Texans Conquer Cancer”
specialty license plate program in order to raise funds for cancer support organizations in Texas.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
Rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the Texas Cancer Council in SECTION 2 (Section
102.017, Health and Safety Code), of this bill.
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Chapter 502F, Transportation Code, by adding Section 502.2735, as
follows:
Sec. 502.2735. TEXANS CONQUER CANCER LICENSE PLATES. (a) Requires the
Texas Department of Transportation (department) to issue specially designed license
plates for passenger cars and light trucks that include the words “Texans Conquer
Cancer.”
(b) Requires the department to design the license plates in consultation with the
Texas Cancer Council.
(c) Requires the department to issue license plates under this section to a person
who meets certain stated requirements.
(d) Requires that $5 of each fee collected under Subsection (c)(2), be used by the
department only to defray the cost of administering this section. Requires the
department to deposit the remainder of each fee collected to the credit of the
Texans Conquer Cancer account established by Section 102.017, Health and
Safety Code.
(e) Requires the owner, if the owner of a vehicle for which license plates were
issued under this section disposes of the vehicle during a registration year, to
return the special license plates to the department.
SECTION 2. Amends Chapter 102, Health and Safety Code, by adding Sections 102.017 and
102.018, as follows:
Sec. 102.017. TEXANS CONQUER CANCER ACCOUNT. Provides that the Texans
Conquer Cancer account is a separate account in the general revenue fund. Sets forth
components of the account. Provides that the Texas Cancer Council (council)
administers the account. Authorizes the council to spend money credited to the account
only for certain stated purposes. Authorizes the council to accept gifts, donations, and
SRC-SEW S.B. 614 77(R)
grants from any source for the benefit of the account. Requires the council by rule to
establish guidelines for spending money credited to the account.
Sec. 102.018. TEXANS CONQUER CANCER ADVISORY COMMITTEE. Requires
the council to appoint a seven-member Texans Conquer Cancer advisory committee.
Requires the committee to perform certain stated functions. Provides that members of the
committee serve without compensation and are not entitled to reimbursement for
expenses. Provides that each member serves a term of four years, with the terms of three
or four members expiring on January 31 of each odd-numbered year. Provides that
Section 2110.008 (Duration of Advisory Committees), Government Code, does not apply
to the committee.
SECTION 3. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2001.
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